Buffalo Marathon Full of Good Neighbors

Buffalo, NY - It takes close to a thousand volunteers to make the Buffalo Marathon happen.

On race day, organizers say 400 volunteers are on the course.

Thomas Donnelly with the Buffalo Marathon says, "Water stops. You have all the traffic Control. Traffic control is a huge issue because you have every intersection that we cover over 26 miles has to be marshaled."

John Beishline with the Buffalo Marathon says, "We've ordered 500 cowbells so that all the volunteers on traffic control will be ringing a little cow bell to get the high point to get the people into it."

Leading up to race day... more volunteers help to welcome runners from around the world. They put together information packets and help with pre and post race dinners.

Some volunteers hope to get the word out about a cause at the same time.
We saw several with green shirts that say cure NF. Julie Mooney's niece Leah has NF, Neurofibromitosis-Type 2. It's when a protein is lacking that suppresses tumor growth. Julie says, "It's nice to know that events like this can bring a community together for a greater good."

This year... volunteers are thinking of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, but it has not deterred them. It's given them even more resolve to make the buffalo marathon a success. Thomas Donelly says, "We've had more volunteers come on this year than we had last year."

You can help too. Organizers say the runners depend on support from the crowd and that's a major part of what runners will remember about the city of good neighbors.